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She was immensely proud of where she came from and delighted in sharing her culture through Tahitian song and dance.

Doris Titaua Blakelock Childers, 95, passed away peacefully in her home in Preston, Idaho, on August 30, 2026. She leaves behind a life full of music, faith, family, laughter, culture, and endless stories of love that will be told for generations.

Doris was born on January 24, 1931, in Papeete, Tahiti, to Sarah Tetuanui Maevahi Buchin and John Thursfield Blakelock. She spent her childhood surrounded by the beauty of Tahiti, where life was full of simple adventures and endless mischief; catching shrimp in her school dress, climbing and falling out of almost every tree on the island, and hopping on the back of her neighbor’s horse wagon to get to school.

She met her sweetheart, Joseph Edmund Childers, while he was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tahiti and she was working as a cook in the mission home. They married in the Mesa Arizona Temple on October 28, 1955, and spent their lives building a family and serving others together. She is survived by her four children: Raquel Hinano (Steve) Smith, Joseph Kenneth (Christie) Childers, Colette Moemoea (David) Spratling, and Gisele Maeva Rodgers. Doris is also survived by 26 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Music was one of the great joys of Doris’s life. She loved to sing, conducted countless choirs, composed numerous songs, and even taught herself to play the piano, organ, clarinet, accordion, guitar, and ukulele all at a young age. In her older years, she performed in groups including the Utah Polynesian Choir and the Golden Girls. She loved sharing music with the people around her. Her grandchildren were frequent participants in her musical adventures, often finding themselves recruited to sing one of her many songs in church. For Doris, music was something to share, and she made sure it became part of her family.

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There was something about Doris that drew people to her—her warmth, confidence, and quirkiness, and above all, her ability to make everyone around her laugh.

Her love for Tahiti and her Tahitian heritage ran just as deeply. She was immensely proud of where she came from and delighted in sharing her culture through Tahitian song and dance, which she taught throughout her life. She carried with her the warmth and hospitality of her homeland, always making sure that those around her were cared for. Her grandchildren never left her house without first being offered a piece of toast or having an apple peeled for them.

Faith was another constant throughout Doris’s life. Introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her aunt, she was baptized at 16 and remained a faithful member throughout her life. She served in many Church callings, including alongside her husband when they served as president and wife of the Tahiti Papeete Mission. Years later, they returned to Tahiti to serve as the first president and matron of the Tahiti Papeete Temple. Her faith was not simply something she believed—it was something she lived, through her service, her devotion to others, and the way she cared for her family and community.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t instantly love Doris upon meeting her. She was often complimented on her beauty, kindness, talent, and unmistakable accent. She never shied away from a compliment and, truthfully, was no stranger to receiving the royal treatment wherever she went. There was something about Doris that drew people to her—her warmth, confidence, and quirkiness, and above all, her ability to make everyone around her laugh.

Doris leaves behind more than memories; she leaves a piece of herself in all of us—in the songs we sing, the stories we tell, the traditions we carry, and the laughter that will always remind us of her. Her love for her family, her Tahitian heritage, her faith, and the simple joy of caring for others will continue through the generations. Though we will miss her dearly, we can find comfort knowing that her voice, her spirit, and her love will never truly leave us.

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Her love for her family, her Tahitian heritage, her faith, and the simple joy of caring for others will continue through the generations.

Funeral services for Doris Titaua Blakelock Childers will be held Saturday, September 5, at 11:00 a.m. at the Riverdale Chapel, 3562 N 1600 E, Preston, Idaho 83263. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the chapel. Family and friends are also invited to a viewing and visitation on Friday, September 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Red Rose Funeral Home, 56 S State St, Preston, Idaho 83263. For those unable to attend the funeral services in person, a live stream will be available via the link below.  Interment will follow the funeral service at Riverdale Hill Crest Cemetery, 1448 E 3200 N, Preston, Idaho 83263.

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